NEW DELHI, Dec 20: The chief of global police agency Interpol met Indian officials on Saturday and pledged assistance in a probe into last month’s attacks in Mumbai by gunmen.

Ronald Noble met Home Minister P. Chidambaram and promised help in securing details of the 10 gunmen who attacked two luxury hotels, a rail station and a Jewish cultural centre on Nov 26 in Mumbai, officials said.

Noble told Chidambaram Interpol was comparing DNA profiles and other identifications of the attackers such as photographs and fingerprints with its global database of fugitives, home ministry officials said. One of the gunmen was reportedly caught and is in police custody.

The Interpol secretary general also met the head of India’s Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI).

“India and its CBI have much experience in using Interpol tools and services to track down terrorist fugitives,” Noble said in a statement.

“India understands that it cannot be expected to find the answers to this incident without the support of the global law enforcement community, and we will help ensure that this happens,” Noble added.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meanwhile urged Indian security agencies to use modern technology to try to prevent similar attacks.

“The role of technology in supporting our counter-terrorism and internal security efforts is not adequately appreciated,” Singh said on Saturday in New Delhi.

“Other countries have used modern technology in their security structures with great effect. It acts not only as a force multiplier but can also provide solutions to human problems relating to command, coordination and communication,” he added.New Delhi has unveiled plans to install radar units along India’s coasts to reinforce maritime surveillance, the Press Trust of India said.

The home ministry separately said the coastguard was setting up nine additional shoreline stations to improve security, especially in the Arabian Sea which divides India and Pakistan.

“We are taking several steps to enhance our sea and air surveillance and interceptions abilities with the help of more aircraft, patrol vessels and warships,” a senior coastguard official said.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony heading a high-level meeting on Saturday gave the green light for the purchase of an unspecified number of interceptor ships and latest hardware to shore up coastal security, ministry officials said.

“The government also asked the coastguard to augment its fleet of 70 medium and big ships with vessels leased from the global market,” one official told AFP, and added the acquisitions could cost more than one billion dollars.—AFP